This invention relates generally to a pantyhose garment having a new and improved waistband consisting of an anchor portion and a wide band portion. This is in contrast to known conventional pantyhose garments.
It is the conventional practice to produce a pantyhose garment incorporating a turned welt defining an elastic waistband, a single ply upper panty portion, and leg portions, the toe ends of which may be closed in any suitable manner.
A conventional two ply, turned welt waistband includes spandex or other suitable type of elastic yarn for providing an inward compressive force against the waist of a wearer to aid in maintaining the waistband in position when the pantyhose garment is worn. A normal waistband consists of approximately 300 courses and has a width of approximately 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. One of the problems of such conventional pantyhose is the tendency of a typical elasticized waistband to slip down the waist and hips of a wearer as a result of movements performed in ordinary day-to-day activities. Attempting to overcome the slippage problem by constructing the waistband so as to be more constructing and tight fitting results in a waistband which uncomfortably binds and constricts a wearer's waist.
In the present invention, the pantyhose garment includes a new and improved waistband comprising a relatively narrow anchor section of a turned welt construction and a relatively wide band section of a single layer integral therewith and depending therefrom. Such waistband construction, which may range in width up to five inches eliminates the binding and cutting problem of convention waistbands.
In one embodiment the anchor portion may consist of a turned welt which includes textured nylon or other synthetic yarn knit in every course and bare elastomer yarn floated in selected courses. The elastomer yarn is floated in selected courses to provide more linear compression in a coursewise direction in the turned welt portion of the wide waistband. The relatively wide band portion includes textured nylon in every course and elastomer yarn knitted in every course or every other course. In the wide band portion of the improved waistband, knitting the nylon yarn in every course and the elastomer yarn in every course or every other course provides a more balanced compression, walewise and coursewise.
A primary object of the invention is the provision of a pantyhose garment having an elongated waistband which conforms comfortably to the contour of the wearer's body and resists slippage.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a pantyhose garment having an improved, elasticized, knitted waistband construction.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved elastic waistband incorporating a relatively narrower turned welt anchor portion and a relatively wider band portion. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when considered in view of the following detailed description.
Although the new waistband construction is described in conjunction with the panty portion of a pantyhose garment, it is to be understood that such concept may also be applied to other types of lower body garments, including tights and the like.
The term "elastomer" as used in the specification and claims is intended to identify any rubber or plastic material, including spandex, having stretchability and recovery properties or qualities.